Posts Tagged ‘Encina Lodge’

It’s been a v-e-r-y long day. We left home in Connecticut around 8:00 AM EDT. It’s after 9:30 PM PDT and we’re just winding down.

Once we picked up our bags we headed to Dollar for a rental car. Dodge Charger or equivalent is what our reservation called for. The car is actually a Mercury Grand Marquis. It’s a comparable size so I can’t complain though this is an old person’s car. It is also among the sloppiest handling mushy riding cars I’ve ever driven. At least it has a trunk that’s big enough for vacationers!

We left LAX and headed up the 405 to Highway 101. As long as we were passing Stef’s apartment we figured we might as well stop. It was brief. We’ll see her and Roxie on Monday.

We turned back to the 101 northbound through Agoura Hills and Thousand Oaks. The highway crests a ridge heading into Camarillo and as you head down the Pacific comes into view. Wow. It is spectacular.

Today’s trip corresponded with the Phillies/Marlins game. I set up the iPhone so Helaine could watch (while I listened). How’s that for technology, a live ballgame in the car!

As we drove toward Santa Barbara we took in Roy Halladay’s perfect game.

We passed the Montecito exits (Oprah/Gayle can we visit?) and entered Santa Barbara. The Encina Lodge, our hotel, wasn’t hard to find though it’s nestled in a residential neighborhood off the beaten path.

You quickly get a vibe if things will be good or bad. As we waited to check in we listened to the desk staff cheerfully help solve a few problems. We knew the choice would be good.

As it was our room had a problem–missing bath towels. I went to the office and a few minutes left Dennis delivered two sets. As I reached for my wallet he waved me off. “Can’t I give you something,” I asked?

I guess Dennis didn’t feel it was right to accept cash under these circumstances. Classy move.

We drove down to the water for dinner ending up at Emilio’s. I had Caesar salad and a seafood pasta dish while Helaine had pasta with bolognese sauce. Both were very tasty in a comfy setting.

This isn’t Connecticut. The door was wide open letting in the nighttime air. There are no flying bugs to worry about.

More exploring in the morning. I’m having trouble keeping my eyes open.